House Fire Kills 5 Kids, Mother in Texas

A house fire killed five children and their mother early on Wednesday about 100 miles east northeast of Houston, Hardin County Sheriff Mark Davis told KFDM TV news.

Firefighters responded to an alarm shortly after midnight and discovered the bodies as they put out the blaze, which destroyed the home, Davis said.

"Tough situation, really a horrific scene here and just so sad that we’re dealing with six victims at a house fire," Davis told the Beaumont television station.

He did not identify the victims. Local officials and the State Fire Marshal's Office will investigate to determine the cause of the fire, he said.

"At this point, we have no reason to suspect one way or another that there’s anything unusual or out of the ordinary," he added.

Reuters could not immediately reach anyone at the sheriff's office for comment.

(Reporting by Peter Szekely in New York; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Nick Zieminski)

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